At a time when Union Road Minister Nitin Gadkari has spelt out an ambitious plan to execute highways projects, including Bharatmala, at an estimated cost of Rs 7 lakh crore, the finance ministry is mulling over a reduction in its budgetary allocation. The move is possibly a reaction to under-utilisation of funds allocated in the Budget 2017-18, a source in the government said.
It is learnt that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway’s budgetary allocation for the current financial year may be reduced by seven per cent amounting to Rs 6,000 crore, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)